I have trapped beaver for many years but I haven't done much when hard water comes around. So, I'm in a 15 to 20 foot crick that has froze over and it is dammed multi times in X amount of miles. In the quarter mile I'm trapping for a guy I don't see any runways, or I don't know where their bank den is at.

So, if no runways or no den is it possible to just set along edge under ice and have some success? Of course, with fresh cutting etc. and proper set.

Cross overs at the dams, upper and lower should have room for sets. You should see a noticeable crossover if they are using them.

Is there a feed pile?

I usually run a snare pole around the feedbed. If I can't find it I will put some by the dam.

Are you seeing any bubble trails in the ice?

Cut a hole and put a fresh bait pole and you will find out!

This will tell you if they are there and where they are traveling. It will also show you where the bank dens are if there are any where you are trapping.

^^^^^ This^^^^^

In February and March they will REALLY hammer a fresh aspen pole.

Do beaver respond to fresh bait when they have a fresh food pile? It is only November.

Those sound like check dams to me- if you look further up stream you may find a more active dam and possibly a lodge. I have however trapped bank beaver in similar size creeks but the sign and crossovers were obvious.

Maybe, but not as well as late feb

First ice is a good time for baiting beaver.They are still in collecting feed mode.
Also a good time to set den entrance which is a paydirt set any time.

Yep that is what I'm dealing with check dams. No real obvious sign of travel routes and the dams are placed at waterfalls of about 4 feet. Very steep banks and would be risky business to be on the upside or downside of those falls. I haven't got that close to actually see if they are crossing over or where they are crossing over the dam. We got ice of last night, so I pulled this morning for now. There isn't a catch in the stretch that I'm trapping. I know I could get permission to work upstream from where I'm at but not sure I want to.

I think I will keep an eye on it and when ice gets thicker, I may be able to do some damage than.

Yes

So no evidence in the dammed section I'm in is it worth cutting a hole bait pole it?

If you have trees and or brush, I would say no to cutting a hole for a bait pole. They should have a feed pile if that is where they are going to winter.
From what you are saying, I am guessing the beaver do not live where you are trapping. In the creek yes, but that section no. They will travel a long ways up and down a creek in open water. I have seen beaver come over a mile down stream and plug a culvert, but they lived a mile up stream. If you do not have a feed pile or some kind of water plants that they can live off the roots of, (cattails, bull rushes) they are not in that section of creek when it freezes. They may be in the dam section three to four dams up or down or the next one up or down. I have seen beaver winter in places with no trees or brush of any kind and live on cattail and bull rush roots. In the north they want feed in the water so when it freezes they can get to feed under the ice. I have seen them chew out and go across ice to cut trees, but they do not do that by choice. They do it to keep from starving.

Put in a few swinging Sally’s .....ask Mole about that set up

MJM my thinking and accessing their setup is the same as what you are telling me. No feed catches in the section I'm in but in the last few days before freeze up they were taking down trees in this ranchers back yard that borders the crick. A couple million dollar cabin and place and they didn't like what those beavah did. Lol

Here yah go Snowy...[video:youtube]https://youtu.be/AJKMZL-06CA?si=hpT8FYVUWJF2q8y2[/video]